History

Villa Cetinale is a historic seventeenth-century Tuscan villa built in the Roman baroque style. It was originally owned by the Chigi Family in the early 1600’s, specifically Fabio Chigi who later became Pope Alexander VII in 1655. In 1680 Pope Alexander passed down the villa to his nephew, Cardinal Flavio Chigi, who began transforming the Villa into its present form. As Flavio restored the villa, he created numerous statues, chapels and gardens which still stand today.

Due to it’s long historic presence and deep rooted connection to Siena, Italy, the property has been featured in many books and paintings, including Princess Colonnas Memoirs, a Joseph Forsyth novel written in 1802 and the “La Festa di Sant’Eustachio a Cetinale” painting pictured above, which depicts one of many parties thrown on the property.